Hammock-support



(NoModel.)

H. A. ADAMS.

HAMMOGK SUPPORT.

Patented Aprl 20, i886.

myn

,notwithstanding longitudinal flexure of the llNiTaD STATES PATENTOFFICE.

HENRY A. ADAMS, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

HAlVllVlOCK- SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,071, dated April20, 1886.

Application tiled April 1B, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. ADAMs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvement-s in Canopy Attachments forHammockSupports, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide the canopy of a hammock-supportwith means whereby the canopy may be tilted to one side or the otherwithout materially decreasing the shading-surface thereof or greatlychanging the distance of any part of the canopy from the occupant of thehammoc'r, and whereby at the same time the canopy maybe held taut frameconstituting the hammocksupport.

The invention consists in the application to the canopy of flexible armspivoted to the hammocksupport at some distance below the canopy, and inthe construction and arrange ment ofthe parts, as will be hereinafterfully set forth and described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l rep resents a perspective view ofthe invention as applied to a folding frame; Fig. 2, a plan view of theframe folded, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre- Spending parts.

,The invention is represented as applied to a frame, preferably of wood,though iron may be used, if desired, composed of six pieces, with bracesto hold them in position.

Near the ends or' the sills A A are attached four spars, B B B B, whichare connected in pairs at their outer ends. A pivoted brace, a, having ahook at the free end adapted to enter the eye on the correspondingtimber, connects each spar with its sill when the frame is erected.Other braces, b b, similarly arranged, serve to keep the bottom of theframe apart to give it a sui'liciently wide base and prevent itscollapsing when tipped by the wind or otherwise. The hammock C issuspended from hooks near the outer ends of the spars B B.

In practice I make the sills about eight feet long and the spars aboutone foot less, pivoting them about a foot from the ends of the sills.The small rods a. a a a, pivoted near the ends l Serial No. 162,622. (Nomodel.)

of the sills, thus act as ties. Tit-h timbers of the length designatedthe points ofsuspension are about fifteen feet apart, thus affordingroom to stretch the entire hammock and rendering it more comfortablethan in the case of supports in which this distance is considerablyshorter. Another advantage gained by this construction is in the slightvibration caused by the bending of the timbers, which being without anydirect connection between the points of suspension yield sufficiently toimpart an agreeable motion to the hammock. The frame is quickly foldedinto the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3 by withdrawing the hooks of thebraces and swinging the parts together in a manner so simple as torequire no description. In this form it is rendered very convenient fortransportation from place to place and for storing away.

To admit of a canopy being attached, the ends of the spars are providedwith a metallic clamp, c, which also furnishes a hook for the hammock.The'clamp-iron has a stud provided with a hand-nut, upon which the armthat upholds the canopy is pivoted and secured at any desired angle. Itwill be seen that the pivotal point is some distance below the canopy;consequently a change in the angle of the arms throws the canopy overtothe one side or the other, affording better shade and allowing moreroom for the hammock and its occupant than if the canopy were pivoted atthe middle of each end. In practice I make these arms d d ofspring-wire, as shown, and their tension keeps the canopy stretched atall times, notwithstanding the inward ilcxure of the frame, beforereferred to.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to support the canopy at a heightconsiderably above the point of connection with the frame, whereby thewhole canopy is tilted in the manner herein specified. l am also awarethat the stretching of the canopy is not altogether new; but the purposeof this invention is to combine both these features in one device forgreater simplicity, cheapness, and facility in operation, and this laccomplish by means essentially different from any hithertoemployed-namely, an arm which is at the same time, by virtue of itsnature and construction, a retractile spring.

Having thus briey described my invention,

ICC

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a hammock-canopy,

retractile spring-arms depending from the ends of the canopy and pivotedat their lower ends to the frame of the hammock-support, whereby thecanopy is stretched at all times, notwithstanding the inward flexure ofthe frame, and the whole canopy is adapted to tilt in the arc of acircle, substantially as and for the purpose set fort-h.

2. The curved bifurcated retractile springarms d d; pivoted at theirlower ends to the frame of a hammocksupport, and at their divcrgent endsconnected with the canopy and adapted to support and stretch said canopyand tilt the same inthe arc o f a circle,4 substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

3. The combination of the described hammock-support, canopy, andretractile spring-` zo canopy-supporting arms pivoted to the frame atsome distance below the canopy, and all constructed and arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

.In testimony whereof I affix my signature 25 in presence of twowitnesses.

- HENRY A. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

E. H. POWELL, L. T. WILooX.

